Mali government, rebels agree to respect 'national unity'

OUAGADOUGOU: Malian government and two rebel groups agreed on Tuesday to respect Mali's "national unity" as they held their first talks to try to end the crisis that has split the west African country in two.

Delegations from the government, the Islamist Ansar Dine and the Tuareg MNLA agreed "on the respect for Mali's national unity and territorial integrity," and "on the rejection of any form of extremism and terrorism," they said in a statement.